Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Mar-Apr;47(2):85-91.
doi: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000803.

A Pilot Randomized Control Trial to Assess the Impact of Lavender on Anxiety and Comfort After Cesarean Birth and the Barriers Encountered

Adriane Burgess, Amy Harris, Julia Wheeling
Randomized Controlled Trial

A Pilot Randomized Control Trial to Assess the Impact of Lavender on Anxiety and Comfort After Cesarean Birth and the Barriers Encountered

Adriane Burgess et al. MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs. 2022 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effect of lavender aromatherapy on anxiety and comfort after cesarean birth.

Study design: Randomized control trial.

Methods: Forty-eight patients who had a cesarean birth were asked to complete the six-item State and Trait Anxiety (STAI-6) score to assess their level of anxiety pre- and postapplication of either lavender aromatherapy or placebo during their inpatient postpartum stay. Their comfort and pain levels pre- and postadministration were assessed, and differences between groups were analyzed. Results: There was no difference in postintervention STAI-6 scores between the aromatherapy and placebo groups (p = .56). Women who received the lavender aromatab® had significantly (p = .037) higher self-reported levels of comfort (M 2.6 SD .82) when compared with those who received placebo (M 2.0 SD 1.0).

Clinical implications: Many women use aromatherapy at home to promote comfort and relaxation. Women feel lavender aromatherapy improves their comfort in the hospital setting after cesarean birth. Clinicians should consider ways to safely use aromatherapy as one option to promote postoperative cesarean birth care.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Abbasijahromi A., Hojati H., Nikooei S., Jahromi H. K., Dowlatkhah H. R., Zarean V., Farzaneh M., Kalavani A. (2020). Compare the effect of aromatherapy using lavender and Damask rose essential oils on the level of anxiety and severity of pain following C-section: A double-blinded randomized clinical trial. Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine , 17(3), 20190141. https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2019-0141 - DOI
    1. Buckle J. (2015). Clinical aromatherapy: Essential oils in healthcare (3rd ed.). Elsevier.
    1. Burgess A., Harris A., Wheeling J., Dermo R. (2019). A Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Opioid Consumption after Cesarean Birth. MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing, 44(5), 250–259. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000000549 - DOI
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, May 6). Postsurgical pain . https://www.cdc.gov/acute-pain/postsurgical-pain/index.html#ftn11
    1. Conrad P. (2019). Women's health aromatherapy: A clinically evidence-based guide for nurses, midwives, doulas and therapists . Singing Dragon.

Publication types